U.S. Department of Labor
FLSA Hours Worked Advisor
Homeworkers
A homeworker is any employee employed to perform work at home for an employer.
You may review the information on "suffer or permit to work" by clicking on the underlined text.
Examples of work performed by homeworkers are:
- A person who sews at home;
- A person hired to do data processing at home;
- A person who is hired to do telephone surveys from their home;
- A person who manufactures jewelry at home;
- A person who ties fishing flies at home;
- A person who does bookkeeping, payroll or other clerical work at home.
All of the time that a homeworker spends at home is not hours worked for the employer. Ordinarily, you will engage in normal private pursuits such as eating, sleeping, cleaning, and other periods when no work is being performed for the employer.
The hours you actually work as a homeworker include time you spend preparing materials, cleaning up and time you spend traveling to and from the company to pick up work and return finished work. If you report (to pick up or return work) at the time designated by your employer and are required to wait, such waiting time is hours worked. If you report at a time other than that specified by your employer, the waiting time will not be considered hours worked.
There are special recordkeeping requirements which apply to homeworkers. Click on the underlined text to learn more about working at home. For more information, please contact your local Wage and Hour District Office.
Employment of homeworkers in certain industries is restricted and requires certification. If you are employed to work at home in the following industries you need to contact your local Wage and Hour District Office.
- Women’s apparel, including unisex and children’s apparel,
- Jewelry manufacturing,
- Knitted outerwear,
- Gloves and mittens ,
- Button and buckle manufacturing,
- Handkerchief manufacturing, or
- Embroideries.
